Practical measles resources for people working in clinical care, infection prevention, public health, communications, and education.
Resources are developed by the Measles Collaborative Workgroups, each of which identifies gaps in its area, reviews existing information, and develops or shares resources. Resources reflect the expert perspectives of the workgroup members and may not represent the formal position of every partner organization. Learn how selected resources are chosen and reviewed.
Some resources are copyright-protected and may require subscription or purchase to fully access.
Collaborative Resources
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Measles Diagnosis and Care
Focus: Clinical testing, diagnosis, and management of measles
Lead: Adam J. Ratner, MD(opens in new tab)
Resources:
- Ewing A, Hahn C, Ratner AJ. Clinical progress note: measles(opens in new tab). J Hosp Med. 2026;21(9):1031-1034. doi:10.1002/jhm.70250
- Do LAH, Mulholland K. Measles 2025(opens in new tab). N Engl J Med. 2025;393(24):2447-2458. doi:10.1056/NEJMra2504516
- Perry RT, Halsey NA. The clinical significance of measles: a review(opens in new tab). J Infect Dis. 2004;189(suppl 1):S4-S16. doi:10.1086/377712
Neurological Complications
Focus: Recognition and description of measles encephalitis and subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE)
Lead: Kevin Messacar, MD, PhD(opens in new tab)
Resources:
- Fisher DL, Defres S, Solomon T. Measles-induced encephalitis. QJM. 2015;108(3):177-182. doi:10.1093/qjmed/hcu113
Immunity and Immunocompromised Patients
Focus: Effects of measles on immunity, care of immunocompromised patients, and prevention after exposure
Lead: Pia Pannaraj, MD, MPH(opens in new tab), and C. Mary Healy, MD(opens in new tab)
Resources:
- Bühl D, Staudacher O, Santibanez S, et al. Specifically increased rate of infections in children post measles in a high resource setting. Front Pediatr. 2022;10:896086. doi:10.3389/fped.2022.896086
- Gadroen K, Dodd CN, Masclee GMC, et al. Impact and longevity of measles-associated immune suppression: a matched cohort study using data from the THIN general practice database in the UK. BMJ Open. 2018;8(11):e021465. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021465
- Mina MJ, Kula T, Leng Y, et al. Measles virus infection diminishes preexisting antibodies that offer protection from other pathogens. Science. 2019;366(6465):599-606. doi:10.1126/science.aay6485
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Pregnancy and Newborn Care
Focus: Measles during pregnancy, safe care around childbirth, and congenital measles
Lead: Kevin A. Ault, MD, and Michelle Barton-Forbes, MD(opens in new tab)
Resources:
- American Academy of Pediatrics. Congenital Measles: Frequently Asked Questions.
- Barton M, Obiri F, Thampi N. Congenital measles: A rare but life-threatening consequence of Canada's largest measles outbreak(opens in new tab). J Assoc Med Microbiol Infect Dis Can. 2025 Sep 2;10(3):216-218. doi: 10.3138/jammi-2025-0711.
- Joseph NT. Measles in pregnancy: clinical considerations and challenges. Obstet Gynecol. 2026;147(1):44-53. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000006126
- Rasmussen SA, Jamieson DJ. What Obstetric Health Care Providers Need to Know About Measles and Pregnancy(opens in new tab). Obstet Gynecol. 2015 Jul;126(1):163-70. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000000903.
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Poblaciones Especiales
Focus: Communicating about measles and MMR vaccination with populations that may need tailored approaches
Lead: Margaret McCarron, DrPH(opens in new tab), and Munira Maalimisaq, FNP-BC, DNP-c(opens in new tab)
Resources:
Community Voices and Trusted Messengers
- Minnesota Department of Health. Community centered measles messages.
Measles videos and messages developed with Somali and East African community members, along with translated posters. - Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades. Addendum: considerations for conducting rapid community assessment with refugee, immigrant, and migrant communities.
A practical framework for understanding community barriers to vaccination through interviews and listening sessions, identifying trusted messengers, and developing communication strategies with communities.
Talking With Hesitant Families
- Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades. Talking with parents about vaccines.
Evidence-based strategies for starting vaccine conversations with a strong recommendation and for responding when parents have questions or decline vaccination. - Gagneur A, Gutnick D, Berthiaume P, Diana A, Rollnick S, Saha P. From vaccine hesitancy to vaccine motivation: a motivational interviewing based approach to vaccine counselling. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2024;20(1):2391625. doi:10.1080/21645515.2024.2391625
A practical framework for moving from vaccine hesitancy toward vaccine motivation and for building trust after a refusal.
For Families
- Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades. Measles isn't just a little rash fact sheet.
A one-page handout for parents that explains why measles is serious and how the MMR vaccine protects children. It is available in English and Spanish from CDC and in Somali, Russian, and Ukrainian from the Minnesota Department of Health.
Clinical Tools
- Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades. Be ready for measles toolkit.
Outbreak preparedness and communication tools, including a fever-and-rash flowsheet, an adult MMR decision tree, and materials for undervaccinated communities.
Videos
- Inspire Change Clinic. 12-month vaccines: what parents need to know (video).
Answers common parent questions about the vaccines recommended at the 12-month visit, including MMR. - Inspire Change Clinic. The journey of a vaccine: from research to community (video).
Explains how vaccines are researched, tested, and approved. Inspire Change Clinic created this video in response to a common concern in the communities it serves that vaccines are rushed or not adequately tested.
Public Health and Epidemiology
Focus: Measles trends, laboratory testing, and surveillance
Lead: Elizabeth R. Daly, DrPH, MPH(opens in new tab), and Ruth Lynfield, MD
Recursos:
- Association of Public Health Laboratories. Vaccine Preventable Diseases and Measles Testing Resources..(opens in new tab)
- Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades. Be Ready for Measles Toolkit.(opens in new tab)
- Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades. Measles Cases and Outbreaks.(opens in new tab)
- Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. Measles Resource Guide(opens in new tab)
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, International Vaccine Access Center. US Measles Tracker.(opens in new tab)
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Infection Prevention and Control in Healthcare
Focus: Preventing transmission in healthcare settings and assessing exposures
Lead: Wendy Berg, BSN, RN, CIC(opens in new tab), and Andrew T. Pavia, MD(opens in new tab)
Resources:
- Children's Minnesota. Measles Clinical Guideline.
- Minnesota Department of Health. Measles Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) for Non-Symptomatic Susceptible Contacts.
- Minnesota Department of Health. Minimize Measles Transmission in Healthcare Settings.
- Utah Department of Health and Human Services Office of Communicable Diseases. Prevent and respond to measles: A resource for shelters and congregate setting facilities.
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Education for Practicing Clinicians
Focus: Webinars and other measles education for healthcare professionals
Lead: Robert H. Hopkins, Jr., MD, and Patricia (Patsy) A. Stinchfield, MS, PNP
Resources:
- National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. Addressing the Resurgence of Measles (webinar).
- Trusted Messenger Program. (opens in new tab)(opens in new tab)GFFFree CME/CE training gives healthcare professionals and organizations the tools, frameworks, and strategies to communicate more clearly, build trust, and drive better outcomes.
Vaccine Conversations in Clinical Settings
Focus: Evidence-based approaches to discussing vaccination with patients and families
Lead: Sean T. O'Leary, MD, MPH; Peter H. Szilagyi, MD, MPH(opens in new tab)(opens in new tab); and Noel Brewer, PhD(opens in new tab)
Resources:
- American Academy of Pediatrics. Communicating about vaccines: introducing communication skills (video).
- American Academy of Pediatrics. Communicating about vaccines: building communication skills (video).
- American Academy of Pediatrics. Communicating about vaccines: challenging conversations, scenarios, and where to find credible information (video).
- Collaboration for Vaccine Education and Research. Common vaccine concerns. Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society; 2023.
- O'Leary ST, Danchin M. Childhood vaccine hesitancy. N Engl J Med. Published online May 20, 2026. doi:10.1056/NEJMcp2516616
- Opel DJ, O'Leary ST. Communicating about vaccines in a politically contentious climate. N Engl J Med. 2026;394(12):1145-1147. doi:10.1056/NEJMp2600539
- O'Leary ST. Strategies for communicating with parents about vaccines. JAMA. 2025;333(24):2197-2198. doi:10.1001/jama.2025.4882
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. Comprehensive Vaccine Education Program.
- Robinson JD, Opel DJ. Word choice and the patient encounter. JAMA. 2024;332(15):1296-1297. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.15857
- O'Leary ST, Opel DJ, Cataldi JR, Hackell JM; Committee on Infectious Diseases; Committee on Practice and Ambulatory Medicine; Committee on Bioethics. Strategies for improving vaccine communication and uptake. Pediatrics. 2024;153(3):e2023065483. doi:10.1542/peds.2023-065483
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Presumptively Initiating Vaccines and Optimizing Talk with Motivational Interviewing (PIVOT with MI): orientation presentation (video).
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. PIVOT with MI training #1 (video).
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. PIVOT with MI training #2 (video).
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Education for Future Healthcare Professionals
Focus: Training doctors, nurse practitioners, and pharmacist learners to discuss vaccination with parents, an assessment of current practices.
Lead: Mark H. Sawyer, MD; Jeffery A. Goad, PharmD, MPH; and Danielle VanDamme, NP(opens in new tab)
Resources: To Come
Social Media Communication
Focus: Clear, evidence-based measles information for social media
Lead: Jessica (Jess) Steier, DrPH, MPH
Resources:
- American Academy of Pediatrics. Measles Toolkit.(opens in new tab)
- Public Health Communications Collaborative. Protecting Yourself from Measles.(opens in new tab)
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